Safety apparatus for railways.



PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905.

S. L. ADELSON.

SAFETY APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1905.

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S. L. ADBLSON. SAFETY APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY3.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1905.

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ronn zrs UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL L. ADELSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MAURICE ADELSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SAFETY APPARATUS FOR RAI LWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

To Z7, 1071,0771, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. ADELSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Apparatus for Railways, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to providea safety apparatus for use on steam, electric, and other railways whereby rear-end-collisions may be avoided and by means of which the engineer of a moving train may be apprised of the fact in the event of there being another train within a predetermined distance ahead of him, a further object being to provide a safety apparatus for railways whereby said apparatus is set in passing the same and is returned to its normal position after having passed the same and at a predetermined distance therefrom, a still further object being to provide an apparatus of this class which may be used at points where railways of different kinds and classes cross or intersect each other, thereby preventing collision at the intersecting point, and a still further object being to provide an apparatus of this class which is simple in construction and operation and comparatively inexpensive and well adapted for the purpose intended.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the Views, and in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of my track apparatus arranged on a single-track railway and at one side thereof, said railway being arranged in blocks and seven of which are shown; Fig. 2, a diagrammatic View of my track apparatus as arranged at intersecting points of railways and adapted to be operated by cars or trains moving in either direction on either track; Fig. 3, a diagrammatic view of the cab apparatus and showing the relative positions of-the cab and track apparatus; Fig. 4, an enlarged view of a portion of the track appara tus as. shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5, a sectionon the line'5 5 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6, a deta-ilof theconstruction, said detail being a plan view of the connecting means employed between the cab and the track apparatus.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings I have shown an end view of a railway a, comprising ties a and rails (o thereon and upon which a locomotive of is adapted to operate, and at predetermined points of the railway I provide a vertical support a at the top of which is mounted a casing b, andzin practice the railway is divided into blocks of predetermined lengths, each of which is provided with one of the easings a in electrical connection. with another of the .casings Z) in another block, as hereinafter described. The casing 6, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, is provided with. segmental contactplates and 6 one of which is arranged thereover and at the right thereof and the other of which is arranged thereunder and at the left thereof, the contact 6 being in the direction of an approaching train and the contact in the direction in which the train is passing, and the casing bis also provided with a magnet b and a magnet [2 the magnet 6 being provided with a pivotally-mounted armature I) and the magnet b with a pivotally-mounted armature b thelatter of which is provided with a recess in the top thereof which is adapted to engage a pin 6 in the armature 5 and thereby hold the same in its lowermost position against the action of a spring 6 which serves normally to force the armature upwardly.

Mounted in the casing 6, adjacent to the outermost end of the armature 5, is an insulatingsupport c, to which is secured two springcontacts 0 and 0 the contact 0 of which is connected with the contact-plate by means of an electrical'conductor a, and the contact 0 is provided with an electrical conductor 0 which is grounded, as shown, and the outer end of the armature b is adapted to engage both of the contacts 0 and c and place them in electrical communication with each other, and the segmental contacts 6 are in electrical communication with the magnets by means of electrical conductors a, and an electrical conductor 0 also connected with the magnets 6, passes backwardly to the casing 6, arranged in the second block to the rear, and is in electrical communication with the magnet 5 thereof, and said magnets b are also provided with an electrical conductor 0 which is grounded, as shown, this arrangement of the electrical conductorsc and 0 being similarln all of the blocks of the railway, with the exception of the first two and thelast two thereof, and in the casings b of the first two blocks of the railway the electrical conductor 0 is replaced by an electrical conductor 0", which is in electrical communication with the ground, as shown, said communication being preferably through a suitable resistance.

In the casing b of the last two blocks of the railway I dispense with the magnets 6 the only necessary element in these two casings being the contacts 6 and the reason for which will be hereinafter described, and while I have shown but three of the casings b, representing the main portion of the railway, it will be evident that as many as may be necessary or desired may be employed and the construction and electrical connection of each of which will be the same as the three referred to.

Secured, preferably, to each side of the cab a of the locomotive is a support d, each of which carries two arms d and 01 which are normally held in a position at right angles from the direction of the locomotive by means of a segmental spring d"; but said spring d permits the arms d and d to move freely on their pivotal points if, and the ends of the arms (1 and d are each adapted to come in contact with the segmental contacts Z1 and 1)", respectively, of each of the casings Z2.

The spring-operated arms d and 0Z on the right-hand side of the cab are provided with electrical conductors d and d which are in electrical communication with a switchboard e, and the arms cl and d of the opposite sides of said motor are in electrical communication with said switchboard e bymeans of electrical conductors cZ- and d", and, as will be seen, the conductors (Z6 and d are arranged in one side and the conductors d and d in another set and are adapted to be alternately placed in electrical communication with a compound switch comprisingmembers 0 and 0 and by means of this construction it will be seen that by operating the compound switch members e and 6 simultaneously either to the right or left the corresponding arms d and d are in electrical communication with the switch members 6 and 6 Mounted in the cab a of the locomotive is a magnet f, provided with an armature f which is recessed in the top thereof and engages a spring or gravity operated arm or lever f provided with a handle'f, and in the alternate position of which, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the arm f is adapted to be placed in electrical communication with an electric terminal f which is in electrical communication with a bell or other alarm f by an electrical conductor and the other side of the bell f is in electrical communication with the ground by means of an electrical conductor f One side of the magnet f is in electrical communication with the member a of the compound switch 6 by means of an electrical conductor g, and the magnet f is also provided with an electrical conductor g which is in electrical communication with a compound switch it or with a member if thereof, and the member /L3 of the compound switch it is adapted to be placed in electrical communication with the member 6 of the compound switch a by means'of an electrical conductor if, and the member if of the compound switch it is in electrical communication with the ground by means of a conductor It, passing through a battery It, arranged in the cab (0. Connecting with the arm f is an electrical conductor c', which passes through a battery 2' arranged in the cab of the locomotive and is grounded, as shown, and it will be seen that when the arm f is in its alternate position the bell f is operated and continues to ring until the arm f is manually moved back to its normal position by means of the handle f, and in electrical connection with the member if of the compound switch it and with the wire a, above the battery 2' is an electrical conductor 2' which is in communication with the ground through the battery i Having reference to Fig. l of the drawings, if a locomotive enters the first block at the right of Fig. 1 and moves in the direction of the arrow 00 the spring-arm (Z comes in contact with the plate b but as the normal position of the armature b is in its uppermost position there is no electrical communication between the contacts 0 and c on the support 0, and the arm 6Z2 passes over the contact If without result; but when the arm (Z comes in contact with the plate 6 an electrical circuit is completed, presuming the compound switches a and it to be in the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 3, and the current passes from the arm 6Z3 through the conductor d member 6 of the switch 6, conductor it to the member if of the switch it through the conductor i and battery 71 and conductorito the ground, and from the ground passes upwardly through the electrical conductor 0 to the magnet I) and through the electrical conductor 0 to the contact 6 and arm (i and the magnet 6* is energized and attracts the armature I),

I drawing the same into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4:, at which time the pin Z) thereof is engaged by the spring-operated armature b of the magnet 6 and the armature b is thereby held in this position and electrical communication is established between the contacts 0 and c on the support 0, and when the arm 03 has passed the contact Z2 the parts of the apparatus within the casing b are in the positions shown in Fig. 4. The operation just described is repeated in the casing Z) of the second block of therailway, and the armature 7) thereby establishes communication between the contacts 0 and 0 after which the locomotive enters the third block of the railway, and if a second train should enter the first block and the arm 03 thereof being released or unset, and this re- 65 thereof come in contact with the plate 6 an electrical circuit is completed thereby through the electrical conductor 61, member of the compound switch 0, electrical conductor g, magnet f, the electrical conductor g member k of the switch it, electrical conductor if,

and battery It to the ground, through the electrical conductor 0 through theeontact 0 and thence through the armature I) to the contact c electrical conductor 0, segmental contact b and arm (Z and the magnet f is thereby energized, and the armature f thereof is drawn downwardly, thereby releasing the arm I5 f which is moved to its alternate position,

and asupplemental electrical circuit is established through the arm f terminal f electrical conductor f bell f, electrical conductor f to the ground and thence through the electrical conductor t' and battery 2' to the arm f and the bell f is actuated and continues to ring, aspreviously stated, until the arm f is manually operated and no matter what the position of the armature f is with reference to the magnet f, and the engineer is apprised of thefact that a train is in the preceding block, and this operation is repeated if he should enter the second block, which has been set by the preceding locomotive in its passage, as will be readily understood. When the first locomotive passes into the third block of the railway, the arm d thereof engages the segmental contact 6 but, for the reason; previously stated, no electrical circuit is completed therethrough; but when the arm d thereof engages the contact 6 an electrical circuit is completed through the conductor d". member 6 of the compound switch 6, electrical conductor h member 71, of the compound switch It, conductor 7' battery 2'", and conductor d to the ground and thence through the conductor 0 the casing b in the first block and through the magnet 6 and conductor 0 to the magnet b of the third block, in which the locomotive now is, and thence through the conductor o to the segmental contact 6 and in the completion of the said circuit the magnets 5 of the casing b in the third block and the magnet b of the casing b in the first block are energized, and the armature b of the third casing I; is drawn downwardly, thereby setting the apparatus, and at the same time the armature Z1 is drawn backwardly in the first casing 6, thereby releasing the armature Z), which is forced upwardly by the spring Z)", and thereby releasing the said armature 6 from its communicating position between the contacts 0 and c and the casing I) is thereby in sult is obtained no matter how many locomotives or trains may be in operation on the said railway and within the limits of the block system thereof.

In Fig. l of the drawings the last two casings at the end of the railway or the block system thereof are shown provided with the magnets 6* and with the contacts 6 and 6 but it will be obvious that it is not probable that a train would be in a dangerous position at the end of the railway which is supposedly the yard thereof, and accordingly the only portion of my apparatus which is necessary in these two last blocks is the releasing-apparatus for the two blocks immediately at the rear thereof, and an electrical circuit is established in either of these two last casings 6 through the contacts 63 and arms (2 as previously described, the only difierence being that there is no setting mechanism in these two blocks, nor is there any releasing mechanism,

ings b employed in the body or main portion of the railway, as shown in Fig. 1, and I also employ four casings of the former construction shown in the last two blocks of Fig. 1,

these casings just referred 'to being normally releasing apparatus and consist only of a contact-plate and the electrical conductor connected therewith.

In the intersecting form of arrangement shown in Fig. 2 I have shown two tracks or railways, which are designated as and 70 crossing each other at right angles, and each track of which is provided with a complete apparatus 6 and a releasing apparatus 6 on either side of the intersecting railway or track, and the releasing-casings b of each track It and k are in electrical communication with each other by means of electrical conductors 7C and 76 respectively, and the magnets b of each of the tracks in and are, in electrical communication with the electrical conductors Z0 and k respectively, by means of electrical conductors 70 and 1%, said magnets being also grounded or connected with'the corresponding tracks, as

shown in the drawings, by means of the electrical conductors 76 The magnets 6 of the easings b of each of the tracks is and 10 are electric- 'IIO The contact 6 of each of the complete casings b is provided with the electrical conductor 0 in communication with the contact 0 and the contact 0 thereof being grounded by means of an electrical conductor m, and the armature b is adapted to communicate the electrical conductors 0* and m, as will be seen. If a train should be moving on the track k in either direction, the arm (Z thereof coming in contact with the plate 7) of the casing b at the near side of the intersecting track will not complete an electrical circuit, for the reason that the armature b in this casing is in its released position; but when the arm (Z of the locomotive engages the plate of the casing-just referred to an electrical circuit is completed through the track-conductors m to the magnets 6* of both of the casings b of the track k and thence through the conductors m to the ground and then through the conductor i, battery i conductor & member lbs of the switch it, conductor if, member 6 of the switch a, conductor (Z to the arm (Z and plate 6 and each of the armatures b of the track 76 are drawn downwardly or in their set positions, and a train approaching the track k on the track from either direction is signaled when the arm 6Z2 thereof comes in contact with the segmental plate 6 of the corresponding casing b in the manner referred to in the description of the operation of the apparatus as arranged in Fig.. 1; but when the train on the track 70 has passed the intersecting point of the track 70 the arm d thereof engaging the segmental contact 6 of the releasing-casing Z) a circuit is established through the conductors 70 and it, magnets Z2 conductor it" to the ground, and thence through the cab of the locomotive, as previously described, to the arm (Z and the magnets b are energized, thereby releasing the armatures 6 of the track k and the casings Z) of the track are at this time in their unset or safe position and a train approaching .the track it on the track 70 is not signaled, as will be understood, and the operation just described with reference to the track is is also true with ref,- erence to the track and it will be also understood that the safety intersecting arrangement as shown in Fig. 2 is preferably entirely independent of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, as each of the tracks It and 70 may be provided with the arrangement shown and described in Fig. 1.

It will be obvious that the casings Z) may be arranged at any desired point or at predetermined distances from each other either in be attending strictly to his duty an accident cannot result on a railroad provided with this apparatus, and although an audible alarm is shown and described in the drawings it will be apparent that a visible alarm may also be employed either with or without the audible alarm,and with these reservations as to modifications What I claim as new, and desire to securz; by Letters Patent, is

1. A safety apparatus for railways, comprising a casing arranged in each of a plurality of blocks of said railways, two electrical contact-plates arranged on each of'said casings, two contact devices arranged on a car or locomotive on said railway and each of which is adapted to strike the corresponding one of said contact-plates of each of said casings, and devices connected with said car or locomotive and with each of said casings for notifying the engineer of a following car or locomotive of the fact that another car or locomotive is in a preceding block of said railway, substantially as shown and described.

2. A safety apparatus for railways, comprising a casing arranged in each of a plural.- ity of blocks of said railways, two electrical contact-plates arranged on each of said casings, two contact devices arranged on a car or locomotive on said railway and each of which is adapted to strike the corresponding one of said contact-plates of each of said casings, devices connected with said car or locomotive and with each of said casings for notifying the engineer of a following car or locomotive of the fact that another car or locomotive is in a preceding block of said railway, and devices connected with said car or locomotive and each of said casings whereby the apparatus therein is returned to a normal or unset position in the second block to the rear, substantially as shown and described.

3. A safety apparatus for railways, comprising a casing arranged in each of a plurality of blocks of said railway,two contact-plates arranged on each of'said casings, two contactarms arranged on a car or locomotive on said railway, said arms being adapted to engage the corresponding one of said contact-plates of each of said casings, an electrical circuit adapted to be closed when one of said contactarms engages the corresponding one of said plates of each of said casings and thereby partially close a supplemental electrical circuit in the adjacent one of said casings and a battery arranged in said first-named electrical circuit, substantially as shown and described.

4. A safety apparatus for railways, comprising a casing arranged in each of a plurality of blocks of said railway, two contactplates arranged on each of said casings, two contact-arms arranged on a car or locomotive on said railway, said arms being adapted to engage the corresponding one of said contact- IUC plates of eachof said casings, an electrical circuit adapted to be closed when one of said contact-arms engages the corresponding one of said plates of each of said casings and thereby partially close a supplemental electrical cir cuit in the adjacent one of said casings and a battery arranged in said first-named electrical circuit, said supplemental circuit being adapted to be closed by one of said arms on a following car or locomotive, an alarm arranged in said supplemental circuit, and a battery arranged in said supplemental circuit, substantially as shown and described.

5. A safety apparatus for railways, comprising a casing arranged in each of a plurality of blocks'of said railway, and adjacent to the tracks thereof, two contact plates arranged on each of said casings, two contactarms arranged on a car or locomotive on said railway, a magnet in each of said casings, a spring-operated pivoted armature adapted to be operated by said magnet, an electrical circuit adapted to be closed through said car or locomotive and said magnet when one of said arms engages the corresponding one of said contact-plates and thereby energize said magnet and operate said armature, substantially as shown and described.

' 6. A safety apparatus for railways, comprising a casing arranged in each of a plurality of blocks of said railway, and adjacent to the tracks thereof, two contact plates arranged on each of said casings, two contactarms arranged on acar or locomotive on said railway, a magnet in each of said casings, a spring-operated pivoted armature adapted to be operated by said magnet, an electrical circuit adapted to be closed through said car or locomotive and said magnet when one of said arms engages the corresponding one of said contact-plates and thereby energizes said magnet and operate said armature, said armature being adapted when in its lower position to electrically communicate two spring-contacts in a supplemental circuit in operative connection with the other of said spring-plates and adapted to be closed by the corresponding contact-arm of a following car or locomotive, substantially as shown and described.

7 A safety apparatus for railways, comprising a casing arranged in each of a plurality of blocks of said railway and adjacent to the tracks. thereof, two contact plates arranged on each of said casings, two contactarms arranged on a car or locomotive on said railway, said arms being adapted to engage the corresponding ones of said contact-plates on each of said casings, a magnet in each of said casings, a pivoted armature in operation therewith, an electrical circuit adapted to be closed through said magnet when one of said contact-arms engages the corresponding one of said contact-plates and thereby energize said magnet and operate said armature, and

devices for holding said armature in the last.- named position, substantially as shown and described.

8. A safety apparatus for railways, com prising a casing arranged in each of a plurality of blocks of said railway and adjacent to the tracks thereof, two contact-plates arranged on each of said casings, two contactarms arranged on a car or locomotive on said railway, said arms being adapted to engage the corresponding ones of said contact-plates on each of said casings, a magnet in each of said casings, a pivoted armature in operation therewith, an electrical circuit adapted to be closed through said magnet when one of said contact-arms engages the corresponding one of said contact-plates and thereby energize said magnet and operate said armature, and devices for holding said armature in the lastnamed position, said devices comprising a spring-operated armature adapted to engage a pin on said first-named armature, a supplemental magnet in each of said casings in operation with each of said supplemental armatures and an electrical circuit adapted to be closed through said supplemental magnet of one of said casings when one of saidcontactarms engages the corresponding contact-plate of one of said casings arranged in a block of said railway ahead of said last-named casing in the direction in which said car or train moves, said supplemental magnet being thereby energized and operating said supplemental armature and thereby releasing said firstnamed armature, substantially as shown and described.

9. A safety apparatus for railways, comprising an apparatus arranged ineach of a plurality of blocks of said railway, devices on each car or train operating on said railway adapted to engage the apparatus in. each of said blocks, an electrical circuit adapted to be closed by the engagement of one of said devices with said apparatus in each of said blocks and thereby set said apparatus at danger, and an electrical circuit adapted to be closed by the other of said devices when in engagement with said apparatus and thereby release the apparatus in a block already passed by said railway from its position of danger, substan tially as shown and described.

10. A safety apparatus for railways, comprising an apparatus arranged in each of a plurality of blocks of said railway, devices on each car or train operating on said railway adapted to engage the apparatus in each of said blocks, an electrical circuit adapted to be closed by the engagement of one of saiddevices with said apparatus in each of said blocks and thereby set said apparatus at danger, and

an electrical circuit adapted to be closed by the other of said devices when in engagement with said apparatus and thereby release the apparatus in a block already passed by said train from its position of danger, and a sup- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my inventionI have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 28th 1 day of June, 1905.

SAMUEL L. ADELSON.

Witnesses:

F. A. STEWART, O. E. MULREANY. 

